Posted on by Jennifer Tritsch

The Rock at Rock Bottom

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.

Psalms 130:1

Rock bottom.  Ever been there?  What a dark, desolate place it can be.  There is no light of hope.  There is no fresh wind of change.  There is no music of the promise of tomorrow.  There is only the darkness and you.  There is only the stagnant scent of your own failure.  The only sound you hear is silence as you find yourself in total isolation.  Oh! What a deafening noise that can be.

What exactly is rock bottom, or where is it located?  Rock bottom is a state of being.  It is the lowest possible level of life from which you may sink no further like an impenetrable bedrock.  There is nothing below it.

You experience the murky depths of rock bottom in every imaginable way: emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, and even physically.  Rock bottom hurts.  The descent through the pit that leads to rock bottom ends with the agonizing thud of finality.  This is where you are broken.  Without even the equilibrium necessary to sit aright, you sense every ounce of your spirit to stand weep from your wounds.  You bleed.  You sob until your final tear is spent.  Then, you lie there and wait.  You wait for what’s next—something, nothing, anything, rock bottom.

Even though rock bottom is the hardest and loneliest place, your most treasured blessing is hidden there: the opportunity to start over and to rebuild.  Rock bottom holds hope, preserves promise, and cradles change.  There are blessings that only rock bottom can give, and I’d like to share four of them with you today.

Revelation

Hitting rock bottom can be a time of great awakening—a time to realize exactly where you are, how you got there, and ultimately, why.  I fully realize some land here due to extenuating circumstances, but I have found that the majority who fall in this fissure do so because of selfishness.  The insulated bubble where you mindlessly floated popped, and it popped rather abruptly.  There’s nothing quite like being slapped in the face by reality to wake one out of one’s dreamworld.  Receive it.  It’s a gift.

Wake up to realize you’re no longer in your self-absorbed orb.  It’s not all about what you want, what you think you deserve, or what you’ve lost.  You may have even hurt someone else on your way down to rock bottom.  If that has happened, take this time to think of them for a change.

Reflection

There’s nowhere else to look but up, and what a vantage point it is!  From the perspective of being flat on your back you can see not only how far you’ve come but also the path that led you there.  Look for the steps that led to your falling and destruction.  Learn from them.  Mark them.  Avoid them at all costs so that you may never again repeat them.

Readjustment

Now is the time to change positions in your attitude, your outlook, and your entire way of thinking.  Possibly the most valueable and important part of a true restart—a rock bottom readjustment can reset your moral compass and establish the steps of your much brighter future.  To falter now could ensure you remain ensared in despair.  To make your footing sure, you must realize that the Rock at rock bottom is Jesus Christ!

You cannot escape His presence.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Psalms 139:7-12

Cry out to Him.

…Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalms 61:1-2

He is a steady, sure, solid, and unchanging Rock; and that Rock is Christ!

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:1-4

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

Isaiah 28:16

Jesus Christ is your stability.  He is the firm foundation upon which to carry out the final blessing of rock bottom.

Rebuild

Your life will continue to fall apart without a sure foundation.  A faulty foundation is the very reason everything has crumbled around you time and again.  It’s the reason nothing stays together in your life.  It’s the cause of the cracked walls in your life.  It’s why doors fail to open and close properly.  You must have a steady, firm foundation.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Matthew 7:24-27

Notice in Jesus’ parable of the wise and foolish builders that He did not say the rains ceased for either one.  Rebuilding your life does not promise easy times, but it does ensure a way to withstand the storms.  Rebuilding with your own tools will only end in failure.  There is only One Who can rebuild your broken life, and only His tools will ensure your success. Joseph Hardin (CuppaJoe) wrote in his article, To Rebuild a Temple, “Just because you’ve arrived at this point in your life does not denote that this is the end. There’s far more to your story than this current chapter.”

You must recognize your need for a Savior.  You cannot save yourself.  No one can save you but Jesus Christ.  He’s the only sinless One who died for you, therefore He is the only One who can save you.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

You must repent.  Repentance is a transformative change of heart.  It is a change in direction.  You must change your direction, otherwise you’ll keep falling into the same pit where you now find yourself.  You must die to sin.  You must deny your own self—your own desires and ways.  True repentance surpassess sorrow to become the first step in your spiritual rebirth.

You must bury the dead man through water baptism, taking on the name of Jesus and becoming a brand new creature (see Acts 2:38-39; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

You must receive the Spirit of the Lord through the infilling of the Holy Ghost (see John 3:1-5; Luke 11:11-13; Acts 2:1-4; 12-18).

Connect with a Spirit-filled, Bible-believing, Truth-teaching church; and surround yourself with Godly influences.  Practice daily prayer, Bible reading, and devotion time.  Think on good things (Philippians 4:8).  And you will discover He has delivered you from the pit.  And He will steady your feet and guide your steps.

…I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Psalms 40:1-3

If you know the Rock at rock bottom, you know a love and security unlike any other.  You have been to the pit and felt that peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).  You have an experience—a testimony.  Only a broken soul can offer wholeness to others, and only one who has reached the bottom knows the entire way to the top.  Help someone else find the Rock at their rock bottom.

God gave this message to Jennifer who then collaborated with Delbert to write this article.  She wrote the lion’s share of it.

Posted on by Delbert Tritsch

An Atmosphere for the Miraculous

A Testimony

Fifty days ago, the Savior of the world drew His last breath on a Roman cross.  We never knew such pain and despair until that dreadful moment when a suffocating blanket of darkness enveloped the world.  Our hearts were broken and our hopes dashed.

I remember so well when He cried out, “Eli!  Eli!  Lama sabachthani?!”  To hear the Hope of My Salvation declare His own forsakenness was more than I could bear.  But I did, somehow.  Unaware at the time, now, I know it was by the strength of the very One I saw disfigured before me.  The Lamb of God at His weakest, yet proving Himself stronger than ever!

But just three days later, He rose from the dead.  I could hardly believe it when I first heard the news; but then, I remembered things He had said about this very thing.  He told us that He would die and rise again, but we didn’t understand…until it actually happened.  My heart was overcome with joy to know that He had risen!

Now, we’re here in Jerusalem in this upper room because Jesus told us before He ascended into the Heavens to wait here for the Promise.  Over one hundred of us are here with one consent, one purpose.  And we’re not leaving until it happens.  Jesus is coming back!

Three Ingredients

About 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, there was an atmosphere for the miraculous.  A group of disciples of Jesus Christ were filled with the hope of His return.  And though He didn’t return in the flesh, He did return in the Holy Spirit.  About 3,000 people were filled with the Holy Ghost, and there was great revival like never before with signs and wonders.

This was a supernatural season wherein God began to pour out of His Spirit upon all flesh and to show Himself strong to His people and through His Church.  Three ingredients were present in that outpouring two millennia ago, and these same factors can produce an atmosphere for the miraculous, today.

God’s Promise

Luke wrote to Theophilus in the book of Acts saying that Jesus “shewed himself alive after his passion” (after Calvary) “by many infallible proofs” and that He was seen alive for forty days and that He spoke “of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).  He recounted how that Jesus had instructed the apostles to remain in Jerusalem and to wait there “for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4).  And Jesus told them that, while John had “baptized with water”, they would “be baptized with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 1:5).

The Lamb of God had paid the price to redeem mankind from the bondage of sin.  Jesus told His disciples in John 14:19 that the world would soon see Him no longer but that they (His disciples) would see Him, and He said that they would live because He lived.  Jesus was speaking of that “promise of the Father” saying that they would discern Him through His return to them as their Comforter, the Holy Spirit of Christ.  Because He rose from the dead, they would also experience new life in Him.  And Jesus said in the next verse, “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” (John 14:20).  At that day, they would receive divine revelation and a fulfillment of things that Jesus had been teaching them but that they had yet to experience.

So it was that they were waiting for the promise in an upper room in Jerusalem at that day.  And at that day, they were filled with Holy Ghost and understood the deity of Christ beyond what logic, philosophy, or academics could offer.

The promise from God of the infilling of His Holy Spirit set the stage for the miraculous; and that promise that Jesus made to them, He also made to you and me.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Acts 2:39

Our Unity

Before God’s promise could be realized, the people had to be united.  Acts 2:1 tells us that, as they waited for the promise, “they were all with one accord in one place.”  Acts 1:14 says they “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication”; but in verse 15, Peter interrupted their prayer meeting because he understood that there was a matter that needed to be addressed.  Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus and taken his own life, left a vacancy in the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ; and that void needed to be filled because Scripture required it.

“Peter!  This is not the time to have a business meeting!  We’re in the middle of a prayer meeting!  We’re praying for the promise!”

Sometimes, there is business that needs to be addressed before a prayer meeting can be effective.  If there is anything that may be an obstacle to unity in the body, it must be handled wisely; or you may not see the move of God that He desires for you.  Peter’s wisdom in dealing with things that could have been an obstacle to unity put them on the stage that God’s promise had set for the miraculous.

My Tremble

The atmosphere for the miraculous that existed in that upper room in Jerusalem would move out into the larger Church that was about to be born.  After they were baptized with the Holy Ghost, Peter preached Jesus to the crowd that had gathered outside; and many of them “gladly received his word” and “were baptized”, and “about three thousand souls” were filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:41).

Beyond that glorious day, “they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).  One might expect the excitement to wane or the supernatural intensity to decrease, but it did not.  Acts 2:43 gives a clue as to why this divine move of God continued.

And fear came upon every soul:  and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

Acts 2:43

Fear, or a deep reverence and respect, toward God came upon, not just most, but upon EVERY soul.  They were in awe at the presence and power of the Almighty God.  They had their tremble.

God-pleasing unity that births the miraculous can only occur when I have my tremble.  You may think that you’re okay because you believe in God, but that only makes you as good as devils.  James 2:19 says that “the devils also believe.”  But many people today may not even measure up to devils because James said that “the devils also believe, and tremble.”

Where is your tremble?  Where is your awe at His majesty?

I believe that the main reason we don’t see more of the miraculous is because we have lost our tremble.  There is a manifestation of the presence and power of God that will only be realized when a people find their tremble at His majesty.

Job said, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom” (Job 28:28).

David said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalms 111:10).

Solomon said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge”; and he said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”; and he said, “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 15:33).

Solomon said that the “conclusion of the whole matter” and “the whole duty of man” is to “Fear God, and keep his commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Psalms 2:11

Let all the earth fear the Lord:  let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

Psalms 33:8

The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble…

Psalms 99:1

God provides the promise; we agree in unity; but only I can have my tremble.  And when a people of promise who agree in faith recognize the supreme sovereignty of the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-existing God of the universe and tremble in awe of Him, they will have created an atmosphere for the miraculous.